Aten

:Alternative use: the Aten asteroids, named after 2062 Aten

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Aten is a creator of the universe in ancient Egyptian mythology, usually regarded as a sun god represented by the sun's disk. His worship (Atenism) was instituted as the basis for the mostly monotheistic religion of Amenhotep IV, who took the name Akhenaten. The worship of Aten ceased shortly after Akhenaten's death.

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Viewing the Aten as Akhenaten's god is actually a simplification. Aten was the focus of Akhenaten's religion. Aten is the name given to represent the solar disc. The term Aten was used to designate a disc, and since the sun was a disc, gradually became associated with solar deities. Consequently, Aten expresses indirectly the life-giving force of light. The full title of Akhenaten's god was Ra-Horus, who rejoices in the horizon in his name of the light which is in the sun disc. (This is the title of the god as it appears on the numerous stelae which were placed to mark the boundaries of Akhenaten's new capital at Amarna.) This lengthy name was often shortened to Ra-Horus-Aten or just Aten in many texts, but the god Akhenaten had raised to supremacy was in fact a synthesis of very ancient ones viewed in a new and different way. In particular, it was not depicted in anthropomorphic (human) form, but as rays of light extending from the sun's disk. Furthermore, the god's name came to be written within a cartouche, along with the titles normally given to a Pharaoh, another break with ancient tradition.

Aten asteroid: The Aten asteroids are a group of near-Earth asteroids, named after the first of the group to be discovered (2062 Aten, discovered January 7 1976 by Eleanor F. Helin). They have semi-major axes of less than one astronomical unit, placing them inside the orbit of Earth....

2062 Aten: 2062 Aten is an asteroid that was discovered at the Palomar Mountain Observatory by Eleanor F. Helin, who is now the principal scientist for the NEAT (Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking) project. Aten was the first asteroid found to have a semi-major orbital axis of less than one astronomical unit. A new ...

Creator: Creator may refer to:...

Aten related Images and Photos (experimental)

Original Plans for a Ten-chamber Revolver which Later Became the Six-chamber Patented in 1836